Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Comments Common Names Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Steam Bending Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning		Scientific Name Symplocos martinicensis Trade Name Whitewood Family Name Common Names Aceituna blanca, Aceituna cimarrona, Blueberry, Bois blanc, Bois bleu, Caca rat, Candlewood, Cauna, Ciponima, Graines Bleues, Horse sugar, Kakarat, Martinique sweetleaf, Sweetleaf, White beech, White box, Whitewood, Yellow wood Regions of Distribution Central America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago Environmental Profile Widespread Rare in some parts of its range, particularly at the periphery Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview The species occurs in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Tortola, nearly throughout Lesser Antilles from Saba to Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago. It is also found in Central America in Belize, and in Guyana and French Guiana. It is also widely distributed in moist to moderately dry forests at low to high elevations in Puerto Rico. Heartwood Color Brown Black Green/grey Yellow Orange Yellow Whitish Brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Pink Same as heartwood Grain Even Straight Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Fine Fine Luster Medium Low Medium Natural Durability Very durable Durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to termites Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to powder post beetles Heartwood has very little resistance to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Checking Distortion Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Comments Wood is good quality but is scarce and small Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Turning Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Numerical Data Item Green Dry English References Desch, H. E. 1954. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume II. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaysia Publishing House Ltd., Singapore. S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT.